Remote-carbonator dispensing system and method



June 14, 1966 R. T- CORNELIUS 3,255,920

REMOTE-CARBONATOR DISPENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD Filed Feb. 28, 1964INVENTOR.

APTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,255,920 REMOTE-CARBONATOR DISPENSINGSYSTEM AND METHOD Richard T.. Cornelius, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor toThe Cornelius Company, Anoka, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota FiledFeb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,003 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-1) This inventionrelates to a method and means of carbonating and dispensing a carbonatedbeverage, and more specifically to a method and system wherein thecarbonation or carbonator is disposed on a floor which is lower than thedispensing means or dispensing faucet.

Combined carbonation-dispensing systems have been previously provided,usually being built into a single cabinet. For various reasons, it hasbecome desirable to dispose the carbonator remotely from such cabinet,such as in a basement or other floor or story located beneath the flooror story at which dispensing takes place. The remote location of thecarbonator minimizes the physical space required in the dispensing area,facilitates the employment of multiple dispensing stations operatingfrom a single carbonator, and facilitates maintenance or repairsthereon. However, certain problems and disadvantages have arisen inconnection with use of a remote carbonator.

The quality-minded operator of the beverage-serving establishment iskeenly anxious to provide the proper degree of carbonation of thebeverage, since the percentage of saturation of carbonation is a primefactor affecting the palatability of thebeverage. Both over-carbonationand under-carbonation, with respect to a predetermined degree ofcarbonation, are therefore highly undesirable from a commercialstandpoint. While the consumer may not be able to detect the nature orsource of his distaste, thee discriminating consumer can readilysense-dissatisfaction .with the taste where the level or degreee ofcarbonation is either too low or too high. The exact predetermined levelof carbonation is in part a matter of taste, and such level will varydepending upon whether the carbonated beverage is merely carbonatedwater, a cola beverage, or an orange-base drink, by way of example. Y i

I have found that the attainment of the proper degree of carbonation isrelatively easy so long as both the carbonator and the dispensing meansare on the same floor, but special problems arise when the carbonator isdisposed on a lower floor.

When the carbonator and the dispensingmeans are located on the samefloor, a relatively low carbonatingv pressure may be employed to obtainthe desired degree of carbonation. However, when such a carbonator isplaced on a lower floor, the relatively low carbon dioxide gas-pressureemployed in the carbonator is insuflicient to adequately overcome thepressure loss which is produced by having the dispensing faucet locateda floor higher than the carbonator, such head loss being augmented byfurther frictional losses in the line since a correspondingly longerfluid line is needed to connect these remotely disposed components.Attempts have been made to overcome these pressure losses by increasingthe gas-pressure in the carbonator. However, the gas-pressure present inthe carbonator is one of the factors that determines the amount ofcarbon dioxide gas that can be dissolved in the previously uncarbonatedbeverage. Therefore, the raising of the pressure of the carbon dioxidegas in the carbonator has the unwanted side effect of increasing thenumber of volumes of carbon dioxide gas which can be dissolved in avolume of beverage before saturation is reached. Not only does thisincrease adversely affect flavor, but the ensuing head and frictionallosses lessen 3,255,926 Patented June 14, 1966 the pressure to such anextent at the dispensing faucet break up into bubbles or foam when thebeverage is with drawn therefrom.

I have found that with the dispensing faucet and the carbonator disposedon separate floors, one must expect either excessive carbonation,together with its accompanying disadvantages, or one must expect aninadequate dispensing pressure, together with its accompanyingdisadvantages.

In accordance with my invention, I have found a method and means bywhich neither the degree of car bonation nor the pressure at a faucetdisposed at a higher floor needs to be compromised. The basic componentsemployed are conventional, but they are rearranged in a novel system ormethod of operating the same to produce a novel arrangement ofcomponents, whereby a nocompromise result is obtained.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved carbonated beverage dispensing system employing remotecarbonation, wherein the carbonation and the dispensing take place orthe means for doing so are located on separate floors of a building.

A further object of the present invention is to provide aremote-carbonator dispensing system wherein substantially anypredetermined level of carbonation may be provided at a dispensingfaucet in a stable and efficient manner.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description and the accompanying drawing inwhich a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles ofthe present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

On the drawing:

The single figure is a schematic representation of an installation in amulti-story building of a carbonated beverage dispensing system providedin accordance with the principles of the present invention.

As shown on the drawing:

The principles of this invention are particularly useful when embodiedin a carbonated beverage system such as illustrated in the drawing,generally indicated by the numeral 10. The system 10 is shown asinstalled in a building, a portion of the system being installed on onefloor, here represented as the lower floor or basement 1'1, and afurther portion of the system being installed on a higher floor, hererepresented as being an upper or street-level floor 12. The term on asused herein denotes a sense of occupancy in a particular building story,rather than literal engagement with the surface on which one might walk.The term higher floor as used herein denotes a higher building story orits equivalent, and not merely a different level within the same storyas might be found in a piece of equipment, in terracing, on a dais,or'the like.

The system 10 includes a carbonator 13 disposed on the floor or in thebasement 11 below the dispensing floor .or story 12. The system furtherincludes a dispensing faucet 14 disposed on a higher floor or story 12.A fluid line 15 connects the carbonator 13 to the dispensing faucet Thedetails of the carbonator 13 are not shown since carbonators of a knowntype may be employed. In the fluid line .15, there is provided a pump20, preferably of the constant-delivery type. A return line 21 isconnected to the fluid line 1 5 by a T-fittin-g 22 adjacent to thefaucet 14, and at its other end by a T-fitting 23 disposed between thecarbonator 13 and the pump 20. The return line 21 should be so connectedas to avoid re-exposing the returned carbonated beverage to furthercarbon dioxide gas, thus avoiding altering the amount of carbon dioxidegas dissolved therein.

A suitable valve 24, preferably a relief valve of the inline type, isprovided in the return line 21, and its cracking pressure is so set asto provide a substantial backpressure at the inlet to the faucet 14. Thefaucet 14 typically forms a part of a fixture or is secured to acounter, the fixture or counter being represented schematically at 25.

With due regard to the temperature of the previously I uncarbonatedbeverage which enters the inlet line 16, the carbonator 13 is caused toprovide a predetermined degree of carbonation in such beverage byappropriate setting of the regulator valve 18, a predetermined constantpressure of carbon dioxide gas thus being delivered to the carbonator13. Using an efiicient carbonator 13, a relatively low pressure settingmay be employed, so that for the pressure and temperature present,saturation of carbonation is approximately obtained. Of course, lowerpredetermined degrees of carbonation may also be employed to advantage,but an approach to saturation is advantageous in that with a variationin usage, the effect of time is substantially eliminated. In eachinstance, the gas pressure in the carbonator 13 will likely beinadequate to overcome the head losses and the frictional losses in thefluid line 15 in that without the pump 20, the beverage will either notbe forced up to the faucet 14, or will be present at the faucet 14 attoo low a pressure (1) to enable facile dispensing, and (2) to enablethe prevention of separation of carbon dioxide gas bubbles in thecarbonated beverage. The head loss inherent in a system such asdisclosed would ordinarily tend to promote such beverage breakup or gasseparation. However, the pump 20 elevates the pressure applied to thecarbonated beverage in the fluid line 15 after it has been removed fromthe presence of undissolved carbon dioxide gas in the carbonator 13. Theincrease in pressure ensures the retention of carbon dioxide gas insolution. The pump 20 also raises the pressure sufficiently so that thepressure at the faucet 14 is at least as large as the pressure in thecarbonator 13, and to do this, the pump 20 raises the pressure in theline .15 by an amount at least as large as that needed to overcome thehead loss and frictional losses in such fluid line 15. Moreover, afurther increase in pressure may be provided by the pump 20 to increasethe dispensing rate to the faucet 14. Such further increase in pressuredoes not increase the amount of carbon dioxide gas dissolved in thebeverage since the pressure increase takes place at a point in the line15 remote from undissolved carbon dioxide gas. How ever, such increasein pressure lowers the percentage of saturation of such beverage,thereby lessening the likelihood of its breaking up during subsequentflow thereof.

Where the pump 20 comprises a constant-delivery pump as shown, it isnecessary that the return line 21 be provided so as to return suchvolume of carbonated beverage as is not being dispensed at anyparticular moment from the faucet 14. This return of carbonated beverageis so accomplished that the returning beverage is not mixed with orexposed to any undissolved carbon dioxide gas, such as in the carbonator13, and hence the position of the T 23 at the inlet of the pump 20obtains this result.

The gas pressure in the carbonator 13, minus the head pressure in thereturn line 21, is the minimum pressure to which the relief valve 24should be set in the preferred operation of this system. This willensure that the inlet pressure at the faucet 14 is no less than thecarbonation pressure present in the carbonator 13.

The maximum volumetric rate of flow through the relief valve 24 occurswhen the faucet 14 is closed. When the faucet 14 is opened, some of thecarbonated beverage which would otherwse flow through the return line 21is diverted to the faucet 14 so as to reduce the volumetric rate of flowthrough the return line 2 1. The capacity of the pump 20 preferably issufiicient to maintain a slight flow in the return line 21 when thefaucet 14 is open.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versedin the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within thescope of the patent warrented hereon all such embodiments as reasonablyand properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. beverage carbonation system, comprising:

(a) a carbonator operative to carbonate a previously uncarbonatedbeverage to a predetermined degree of saturation;

(b) a dispensing faucet disposed on a higher floor than said carbonatorand connected by a fluid line to said carbonator to receive carbonatedbeverage there from; and

(c) a pump operative on beverage which has been discharged from saidcarbonator, and so connected in series in said line as to raise thepressure of carbonated beverage in said line by an amount that is atleast as great as the combined head and frictional losses in said linebetween said pump and said faucet, whereby the line pressure at saidfaucet is at least as great as that produced by said carbonator on theinlet of said pump, so that carbonated beverage at said faucet may bewithdrawn having a degree of saturation no greater than saidpredetermined degree.

2. A beverage carbonation system, comprising:

(a) a carbonator operative to carbonate a previously uncarbonatedbeverage under a relatively low pressure of carbon dioxide gas;

(b) a dispensing faucet disposed on a higher floor than said carbonatorand connected by a fluid line to said carbonator to receive carbonatedbeverage therefrom; and

(c') a pump operative on beverage which has been discharged from saidcarbonator, and so connected in series in said line as to raise thepressure of the carbonated beverage in said line by an amount that isgreater than the combined head and frictional losses in said linebetween said pump and said faucet, whereby the line pressure at saidfaucet is greater than that produced by said carbonator on the inlet ofsaid pump to produce a lower predetermined nonsaturated degree ofcarbonation along the entire length of the line between said pump andsaid faucet.

3. A beverage carbonation system, comprising:

(a) a carbonator operative to carbonate a previously uncarbonatedbeverage under a relatively low pressure of carbon dioxide gas;

(b) a dispensing faucet disposed on a higher floor than said carbonatorand connected by a fluid line to said carbonator to receive carbonatedbeverage therefrom;

(c) a constant-delivery pump connected in series in said line andoperative to raise the pressure of carbonated beverage received fromsaid carbonator;

(d) a beverage return line connecting said fluid line at said faucetwith said fluid line between said carbonator and said pump; and

(e) a valve in said return line, disposed With said faucet on saidhigher floor and operative to restrict return flow therein to enablesaid pump to build up, in saidfluid line, a pressure increase which isgreater than the combined head and frictional losses in said fluid linebetween said pump and said faucet.

4. A beverage carbonation system, comprising:

(a) a carbonator operative under a relatively low predetermined pressureof carbon dioxide gas to car bonate a previously uncarbonated beverageto a predetermined degree of saturation;

(b) a dispensing faucet disposed on a higher floor than said carbonatorand connected by a fluid line to said carbonator to receive carbonated'beverage therefrom;

(c) a constant-delivery pump connected in series in said fluid line, andoperative to raise the pressure of carbonated beverage in said fluidline after such beverage has been discharged from said carbonator;

(d) a beverage return line connecting said fluid line at said faucetwith said fluid line between said carbonator and said pump; and

(e) a relief valve disposed with said faucet on said higher floor andconnected in series in said return line, and operative to provide aback-pressure at the outlet of said pump by restricting return flow insaid return line, said back-pressure being of a magnitude no less thanthe sum of said carbonator pressure and the head and friction losses insaid fluid line, and to thereby produce a predetermined degree ofsaturation along the length of the fluid line between said pump and saidfaucet which is no greater than said first-mentioned predetermineddegree of saturation.

5. A method for dispensing a carbonated beverage,

comprising:

(a) under a predetermined relatively low pressure of carbon dioxide gas,carbonating a previously uncarbonated beverage to a relatively highdegree of saturation;

(b) conducting the carbonated beverage away from undissolved carbondioxide gas, and under pressure, to a higher floor to a dispensingfaucet; and

(c) during said conducting toward the faucet, and

remotely from undissolved carbon dioxide gas, increasing the pressure onthe conducted carbonated beverage by an amount whereby the increase isgreater than the combined head and frictional losses up to the faucetand which thereby also reduces the comprising:

(a) under a predetermined pressure of carbon dioxide gas in a chamber,carbonating a previously uncarbonated beverage to a predetermined degreeof saturation;

(b) conducting the carbonated beverage away from the chamber and awayfrom undissolved carbon dioxide gas, and under pressure and at aconstant volumetric rate of flow, to a higher floor to a normally closeddispensing faucet;

(c) during said conducting toward the faucet, and remotely from thechamber containing undissolved carbon dioxide gas, increasing thepressure on the conducted carbonated beverage by an amount where by theincrease is greater than the combined head and frictional losses up tothe faucet; and

(d) recirculating carbonated beverage, under pressure, away from thefaucet while maintaining an increased pressure at the faucet, and mixingit with said carbonated beverage which the pressure is to be increased,remotely from said chamber and hence remote from undissolved carbondioxide gas.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,663,685 3/1928Doughty 222318 X 2,149,633 3/ 1939 Schnoor 222399 X 2,337,783 12/1943Thompson et al. 222318 X 3,011,681 12/1961 Kromer 2223 18 X 3,140,0497/1964 Norstrud et a1. 222318 X 3,160,332 12/1964 Brunson 222-*318FOREIGN PATENTS 101,159 10/1925 Austria. 107,623 1/ 1900 Germany.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

5. A METHOD FOR DISPENSING A CARBONATED BEVERAGE, COMPRISING: (A) UNDERA PREDETERMINED RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE OF CARBON DIOXIDE GAS,CARBONATING A PREVIOUSLY UNCARBONATED BEVERAGE TO A RELATIVELY HIGHDEGREE OF SATURATION; (B) CONDUCTING THE CARBONATED BEVERAGE AWAY FROMUNDISSOLVED CARBON DIOXIDE GAS, AND UNDER PRESSURE, TO A HIGHER FLOOR TOA DISPENSING FAUCET; AND (C) DURING SAID CONDUCTING TOWARD THE FAUCET,AND REMOTELY FROM UNDISSOLVED CARBON DIOXIDE GAS, INCREASING THEPRESSURE ON THE CONDUCTED CARBONATED BEVERAGE BY AN AMOUNT WHEREBY THEINCREASE IS GREATER THAN THE COMBINED HEAD AND FRICTIONAL LOSSES UP TOTHE FAUCET AND WHICH THEREBY ALSO REDUCES THE DEGREE OF SATURATION ATTHE FAUCET TO LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DEGREE.